Well cleaner and washer



Feb. 16, 1965 J. w. BATEMAN WELL CLEANER AND WASHER Filed May 29, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. J WATE/W/V Il 114 .1E Il Fling. I zii!!! Inllfi l in it!! Il 514:5 I il! il l i ATTORNEY J. w. BATEMAN 3,169,580

2 Sheets-'Sheet 2 INVENTOR. J IM 5A TEAM/v L 0 4 H W ATTORNEY Feb. 16,1965 WELL CLEANER AND WASHER Filed May 29, 1963 United States Patent O3,169,536 WELL CLEANER AND WASER Ii. W. Bateman, 5435 Summer-dale,Compton, Calif.v Filed May 29, 1963, Ser. No. 284,216 7 Claims. (Si.165-147) This invention relates to a tool for testing, washing andcleaning wells, particularly oil wells.

The slotted liners of 'oil wells, under various conditions of operationof the well, require to be kept at maximum cleanliness for mostefficient well operation. The bailable area, i.e., the inside of a lineror casing, requires mechanical cleaning, as do the slots of the casing.The formations in which liners are sunk vary considerably and to varyingdegrees, cause clogging of the liner slots as well -as entry of sand,mud and silt of the formation into the bailable area.

The present invention has for an object lto provide a tool both forcleaning the liner slots and iiushing or washing out compacted particlesof formation material from the liner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the characterreferred to that operates automatically to wash out bridges of compactedmaterial encountered by the tool as the same is going into the well.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ltool as abovecharacterized, that provides fora straight-through ow of washing fluidwithout the need for rotational movements of a portion of the tool.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tool, asindicated, in which the pressure of the cleaning or washing iuid isretained at a high p.s.i. to render such operations rapid andei'llcient.

This invention also has Jor its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts,.

which will more fully appear in the course of the following descriptionand which is based on the accompanying drawings. However, said drawingsmerely show, and the following description merely describes, preferredembodiments of the present invention, which are given by way ofillustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

FIG. l is a side elevational view of one form of tool according to theinvention in operative position in-a well casing and shown in theprocess of encountering casingbloclting compacted material in thecasing.

FIG. 2 is a broken and enlarged vertical sectional view of the tool asin FIG. 1.

FlG. 3 is -a similar view showing said tool in washing position.

FiG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modification and shown inwashing position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lower portion ofFIG. 4 with the tool in normal lowering position.

The liner or casing 19 is quite conventional, the same being providedwith slots 11 for the passage of pumping uid to the formation outsidethe casing and passage of oil from the formation into the casing. Thepresent tool combines an elongated casingor well-itting slot-cleaningsection 12, as in FIGS. l', 2 and 3, or an elongated casingorwell-fitting slot-cleaning section 12a, as in FIGS. 4 and 5, and melongated casingor well-fitting washing section 13 below the section 12or above the section 12a, the sections forming a further elongatedcasingor well-fitting body when combined.

. @,id` Patented Feb. 16, 1965 rice The section 12 is shown as a hollowbarrel 15 that is adapted for attachment to V*the lower end of a stringof hollow drill pipe or tubing nand has its lower threaded end 1dconnected to a coupling 17 on the upper end of the washing section 13.lt will be clear that the hollow of the barrel 15 constitutes a passage18 for pressure iluid from above to operate the washing section. Thebarrel 15 is substantially diametrically smaller than the inside of thecasing lil, thereby deiining an annular passage 19 for iiuid enteringthe casing 1G through the slots 11 and above the washing section forflow upwardly to the top of the well.

VThe section 12a is shown as having a similar barrel 15 and innerpassage i3. Said barrel 15 has an upper end 20 with a longitudinal bore21 that opens into the passage 13, said end 2li being operativelyengaged with the lower end or the Washing section 13, .as will be laterdescribed.

Said sections 12 and 12a are each provided with a plurality of `similarslot-cleaning units 22 that, as shown best in FlGS. l and 3, arevariously radially oriented. A preferred distribution of said units isspirally yalong the length of the barrel 15 so that the slot-cleaningblades 23 thereof may extend into similarly distributed slots 11 in thecasing. Patent No. 2,464,669 discloses such units 22, each of whichincludes the mentioned blade 23 and a spring 24 that biases the blade sothe same projects through a slot 11 ialiffned therewith, and may tiltduring transition movement from one slot to the next, as shown in theupper portion of FlG. 3. It will be noted that the passage 18 does notopen into the units 22, enclosing tubes 25, keeping the flow in saidpassage from spilling out around the blades 23.

The cleaning section 13 is shown as having an externally threaded quill26, and a fitting 27 on the upper end of said quiil and connected to thementioned coupling 17. When the slot-cleaning section is provided at thelower end of the cleaning section, said coupling connects with the lowerend of a drill or tube string. Holes 28 in said tting 27 communicate theinterior passage 37 oi' the quill with the mentioned annular passage 19.One or more (preferably two) packing cups 29 are mounted on the upperportion ot the quill and, similarly, two packing cups 30 are mounted onthe lower portion. Said cups seal against the inner surface of thecasing 10 and define between them an annular chamber 31 within saidcasing and around the quill.

An elongated tube 32 extends coaxially of the quill 26 and, at its upperend, is in communication with the passage 15 of the upper cleaningsection 12'. The lower end of said tube 32 extends into and is insealing engagement with a cylinder tube 33. A packing gland 34 securesthe tube 32 to the iitting 27, as adjusted vertically.

The lower end of tube 33 is connected to the upper end of a chamber tube35, the latter, in turn, being connected to and in communication with across tube 36 that extends across the longitudinal passage 37 ot thequill and opens into the annular chamber 31 between the upper and lowerpacking cups 29 and 3i).

A tube 38 extends downwardly from said cross tube 36, the sam-econstituting a cylinder for a hollow plunger 39 that is closed at itstop end and has ports 40 near said end that are in communication withthe interior of the charnber tube 35 when the quill 26 and plunger 39are relatively longitudinally displaced, as can be seen from acomparison of FIGS. 2 and 3. A spring 41 biases the plunger 39 to aposition where its'closed end is flush or under flush with the crosstube 36. A retainer cap 42 having ports 43 limits the retraction of saidplunger.

T" ne lower end or" the plunger is provided with a cap fitting 44 havingports 45 that constitute'tbe discharge of fluid received by way of thepassage 18 when the ports 455 are open to the interior chamber' of tube35. c

In the form of the invention shown in FlGS. 4 and 5, the cap fitting 44is replaced by an extension 45 of the and plunger extension 45, theinterior of the plunger 39 is open to the passage 18V of said section.It will be clear that the passage 1S of section 12a is open to theinterior of the casing for discharge of ushing or washing uid and thatsuch uid and the material displaced thereby may circulate upwardlythrough an annular passage 52 between the casing and the section 12a.

FIG. 1 shows a bridge of compacted material 53 and how the same isencountered by the titting 44, as the tool is lowered in the casing. Asimilar relationship is had between the lower end of the barrel 15 ofthe section 12a. In either case the washing ow circulates upwardly,entering the ports 43 of fitting 42.

Operation Y When the form of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is being lowered into thecasing, as in FIG. 2, pressure iiuid from above Hows into the annularspace 31 by way of the passage 1S, tubes 32 and 33, chamber tube 3S andcross tube 36. This flow flushes outwardly through the slots 11 that areVopen to said space 31 both upwardly and downwardly through theformation around the casing. The upward portion of this ow re-enters thecasing above the upper packing cups 29 and proceeds upwardly through theannular passage 19. The downward portion re-enters the casing below thelower packing cups 36, enters the passage 37 in the quill through theports 43 of the tting 42, and joins the flow to the passagel 19 by wayof the ports 28 in the tting 27. Simultaneously, the blades 23 arecleaning the slots 11. This condition maintains during downward progressof the tool until the tting 44 encounters an obstruction such as thebridge 53 of compacted material. FIG. 1 shows this position.

As the tool proceeds in a downward direction, the prog-V ress of theplunger 39 is arrested by the bridge 53, causing the spring 41 to becomecompressed to the position of FIG. 3. Now, the plunger 39 closes off thecross tube 36 so that no How reaches the space 31. The iiow of pressureuid now proceeds from the chamber tube 35 through the ports 49 of theplunger and into the hollow interior of said plunger. Since the samedischarges through ports 45 in the fitting 44 directly against thebridge 53, the latter, underthe full force and pressure of the washinguid, erodes the bridge so that the return 110W, by way of ports 43,proceeds as above described to remove the particles washed off thebridge. This washing condition maintains until the bridge 53 is washedaway. Then, instantly, under bias of the spring 41, the tool restoresitself to the normal position of FIG. 2.

It will be seen that, as obstructions are encountered, the full force ofthe washing fluid is brought to bear on the obstruction automatically,and that upon removal of the obstruction, the tool automatically returnsto normal operating condition, since the spring 41 returns the plunger39 to its projected position of FIG. 2.

When the tool, as in FIGS. 4 and 5, is lowered in the casing 10, theslot-cleaning section 12a cleans the casing slots 11 and the pressureflow from above enters space 31 and flows both upwardly and downwardlyto return as before described, to the top of the well. j

When compacted material, such as a bridge S3, is encountered by thelower end of section 12a, downward movement of the tool continuescausing the plunger extension 46, against the bias of spring 49, totelescopically project from the position of FIG. 5 to the position ofFIG. 4 wherein the ports 4S in the end of said plunger extension areopen to the passage 13 of section 12a. Spring 41 in the washing sectionis also compressed and, as before described, the pressure flow fromabove enters ports 4@ of the plunger 39 and proceeds through the hollowthereof and of its extension 46 to the mentioned passage 18 of section12a. Thus, a pressure flow is created for washing away the bridge 53,the flow being one that is direct and having the full force of theinitial pressure. The return iiow follows the annular passage 52 to theports 43. Thereafter the flow is as described in connection with theform of FIGS. l, 2 and 3.

The springs 41 and 49 may compress and expand simultaneously or one maydo so ahead of the other. It is only when both springs are compressedthat the bridgewashing operation occurs and both springs expanded thatthe tool is in its normal operating position. It will be clear that theoperation is automatic, as before described.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is nowcontemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, theconstructions are, of course, subject to modification without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not desiredto restrict the invention to the particular forms of constructionillustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. A tool for washing away obstructions of compacted material in a wellcasing, said tool comprising:

(a) an elongated casing-fitting section provided with longitudinallyspaced packer cups and adapted to be connected to a hollow string fromabove and to a plunger yfrom below, and further provided with an axialpassage [adapted to receive la iiow `of pressure `fluid `from saidstring, the passage having at least one bnanch, each such branchterminating in a discharge port permitting the pressure fluid to ow intothe casing ybetween said packer cups,

(b) a resiliently biased hollow plunger connected to said body normallyclosed to said passage and having a downwardly directed end with portsopen to the casing below the mentioned body, and

(c) means connected to both the said plunger and the said passage -foropening the plunger to said passage and thereby closing the discharge ofthe elongated body to the casing, said means becoming operative uponarresting the downward movement of the plunger against the bias thereon,as the tool is being lowered in the casing.

2. A tool according to claim 1 in which (a) the elongated casing-fittingsection -is provided with an axial tube in which the plunger is disposedand `across which tube extends a discharge passage for said fluid,

l(b) the upper end 4of the plunger being movable to a position extendingacross said discharge passage to close the same Vwhen the lower end ofthe plunger encounters an obstruction and is retracted sufficiently fromits normal discharge position, and

(c) port means in said plunger and an enlarged chamber in the axialpassage effecting communication of the `chamber and the plunger hollowupon such retraction.

3. The combination with a tool according to claim 1 of (a) a cleanersection for cleaning the slots of slotted well casing in which the tooloperates, having an upper end and a lower end and provided with alongitudinal passage open at the lower end,

(b) resilient means connecting said cleaner section and the lower end ofthe plunger, and

(c) port means in said ends `of the plunger and open to the passage inthe cleaner section upon relative movement of the plungerV and sectionwhen the latter is arrested by an obstruction in the casing.

4. A casing-washing tool comprising:

(a.) an elongated casing-tting body having longitudinally spaced packersand having `an internal pressure `fluid passage, the passage having atleast yone branch lterminati-11g i-n a discharge port, thereby todischarge `pressure -uid between said packers, and having a llower end,

(b) resiliently biased means normally closing the flow path of such uidoutwardly from the lower end of the body,

(c) means to `close the path of said discharge between the packers andopen the resiliently biased means t-o the path of said iiow uponrelative endwise movement of said body rand resiliently biased means,and

(d) `an elongated casing-slot cleaner connected to `and above Itheelongated casing-titting body and provided with a laterally-confined owlpassage for pressure uid flow to said body.

5. A casing-washing tool comprising:

(a) an elongated casing-fitting body having longitudinally spacedpackers and having an internal pressure fluid passage, the passagehaving at least one branch terminating in Ia discharge port, thereby todischarge ,pressure iiuid between said packers, and having a lower end,

(b) resiliently biased rneans ynormally closing the tiow path of suchfiuid outwardly from the lower end of the body,

(c) means to close the path of said discharge between the packers andopen the resiently biased means to the path lof said ow upon relativeendwise movement of said body rand resiliently biased means,

(d) an elongated casing-slot cleaner disposed below the elongatedcasing-fitting body, having a longitudinal bottom-open flow passageadapted to communicate -with the elongated casing-fitting body, andconnected to the said body, and

(e) addition-al means for controlling the dow of pressure fluid t-o saidslot cleaner, which normally close the ow path thereof to the saidpassage in said cleaner and which open the said ow path when the slotcleaner encounters su'icient resistance when lowered into 1a well.

6. A tool -for Washing away obstructions in a well casing, said toolcomprising:

(a) a well-fitting washer section provided with longitudinally spacedpacker cups, adapted to be :connected to a hollow string from above andto `a plunger -from below, and lfurther provided with an axial passageadapted yto .receive a ow of pressure fluid from said string, thepassage having iat least Ione branch, each such branch terminating in adischarge port t-o discharge said `duid into the casing between Vsaidpacker cups, the axial passage being further adapted to deliver pressureduid to a plunger.

(b) 1a resiliently biased hollow plunger attached to the Washer sectionand extending below, lthe plunger being movable between a closedposition and an open position and inthe latter position capable oreceiving pressure duid into the hollow thereof, the plunger beingnormally biased into the closed position, the plunger further having adownwardly directed end -with ports open to the casing, and

(c) :selective means `connected to both the said section and the saidplunger adapted to move the said plunger between the said open and theclosed positions and being Ifurther adapted to close the .aforementionedaXial passage when the plunger is in the open position, upon saidplunger end encountering an obstruction :of material in the casing.

7. The combination with a tool according to claim 6 of (a) :a cleanersection for cleaning the slots of slotted well casing in which the tooloperates, said cleaner section being positioned above and connected tothe said tool and adapted to be connected to the hollow string fromabove, and being further provided with a passage communicating between ahollow string so Iattached and said tool, whereby pressure duid fromabove is directed into said tool.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES EATENTS 1,36ae53 11/2ostumpf 166-266X 1,474,639 11/23 raniday 166147X 1,664,283 3/28 Boynton166*226X 1,845,442 2/32 nsbinson 15*1o4.3 1,889,772 12/32 Campani166-152 2,128,716 8/38 smith 166-152 2,426,164 8/47 ereurennan 166-150X2,433,828 1/48 Gassen 175-321 2,574,141 11/51 Brown 166-43X 2,671,511s/54 Mater 166-152X 2,838,118 6/58 yCollins 166-146 CHARLES E. OCONNELL,Primary Examiner,

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Examiner.

4. A CASING-WASHING TOOL COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED CASING-FITTINGBODY HAVING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED PACKERS AND HAVING AN INTERNALPRESSURE FLUID PASSAGE, THE PASSAGE HAVING AT LEAST ONE BRANCHTERMINATING IN A DISCHARGE PORT, THEREBY TO DISCHARGE PRESSURE FLUIDBETWEEN SAID PACKERS, AND HAVING A LOWER END, (B) A RESILIENTLY BIASEDMEANS NORMALLY CLOSING THE FLOW PATH OF SUCH FLUID OUTWARDLY FROM THELOWER END OF THE BODY, (C) MEANS TO CLOSE THE PATH OF SAID DISCHARGEBETWEEN THE PACKERS AND OPEN THE RESILIENTLY BIASED MEANS TO THE PATH OFSAID FLOW UPON RELATIVE ENDWISE MOVEMENT OF SAID BODY AND RESILIENTLYBIASED MEANS, AND (D) AN ELONGATED CASING-SLOT CLEANER CONNECTED TO ANDABOVE THE ELONGATED CASING-FITTING BODY AND PROVIDED WITH ALATERALLY-CONFINED FLOW PASSAGE FOR PRESSURE FLUID FLOW TO SAID BODY.